The patriotic spirit of Independence Day must be matched by decisive economic action if Pakistan is to secure “true independence,” the ACT Alliance Pakistan warned on Thursday, calling for a forceful crackdown on smuggling, tax evasion, and the shadow economy.
Speaking at a special Independence Day roundtable with senior journalists and business leaders, National Convenor Mubashir Akram cautioned that illegal trade in key sectors — including petroleum products, cigarettes, tea, and beverages — is bleeding the national exchequer of over Rs1.5 trillion annually.
“This is not just about lost revenue; it is about our economic future,” Akram said. “We achieved political independence in 1947, but genuine economic freedom remains out of reach. To honor the sacrifices of our forefathers, we must dismantle the mafias thriving on institutional loopholes.”
He welcomed recent Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) reforms, particularly the hiring of 102 sector-specific experts for field audits across 42 industries such as real estate, sugar, telecommunications, textiles, and banking. Akram said the initiative signals “growing seriousness” in addressing sectoral irregularities, but warned the challenge remains “enormous.”
“Recruiting experts is only the first step,” he stressed. “These audits must translate into enforcement, penalties, and prosecution where violations are proven.” He urged the FBR and allied agencies, including the Inland Revenue Enforcement Network (IREN), to maintain their reform momentum.
Akram also called for stronger public-private collaboration, arguing that the business community must support clean trade practices to shield legitimate enterprises from unfair competition. “Illegal actors distort markets, exploit loopholes, and evade oversight, while lawful businesses suffer and national development is undermined,” he noted.
The ACT Alliance — a civil society coalition advocating transparency and economic fairness — has long maintained that Pakistan’s recovery depends on integrating all sectors into the formal tax system and dismantling the shadow economy.
“Let this Independence Day be remembered not just for waving flags, but for raising accountability and fairness in our economic systems,” Akram concluded.
